Ballistol has a long history in Germany and Europe. It was originally invented in 1904 by Dr. Helmut Klever for the German army to maintain the metallic parts of the soldier's rifle but also to protect the wooden stocks and his leather gear. The soldier was to use the same oil for the treatment of minor wounds, sores, and scratches. The Army tested it and adopted it in 1905 and it stayed in use until 1945. But the word had spread and within a decade hunters, boaters, motorists, hikers, mountaineers, and outdoorsmen in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland converted to the new multi-use oil.